Automatic signal



.lune 119, 1928. 1,674,123

G. RAGUSA AUTOMATIC SIGNAL Filed Jan. 31, 192'? 3 Sheets-Sheet --l' INVENTOR. GmroZamo Ragusa June19,192s. A 1,674,123

G. RAGUSA Y v AUTOMATIC SIGNAL 7 INVEN OR Girolamo asm ATTORNEY- June 19, 1928. i

G. vRAGUSA v.w'rolusTIc SIGNAL Filed Jan. 3l, 1927 (5v Sheets-Sheet 5 JNI/ENTOR. Girolamo Ragusa ATTORNEY.

Patented June 19, 1928.

UNITED STATES GIROLAMO RAGUSA, 0F PUEBLO, COLORADO.

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL.

.Application filed January 31, 1927. Serial No. 164,865.

yllie object of the invention is to provide a signal, automatically operated, wherein not only the warning may be indicated at the time of actuation, but an obstacle interposed to the passage of the traflic against which thesignal has been set; to provide a signal particularly adapted for railroad crossings that will be set into operative position by the passage of a train and automatically returned to inoperative posi tion atter said train has passed; to provide yielding anchoring means in connection with the device so that, in the event that it is subjected to shock, it may not be damaged thereby; and to provide a signal equipment which is susceptible otl construction out of standard stock and, therefore, possible of manufacture and installation at low cost.

Vith this object in view, the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the invention, the receiving pit below the surface of the ground being indicated in section.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the plane indicated by the' line 33 ot Fi ure 1.

Tigure 1i is a vertical sectional view on the plane indicated by the/line 4-4 of Figure 2 y Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view on the plane indicated by the 1ine,5-5 of Figure Figure 6 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the solenoid showing the latter as effecting switch-retaining position.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but illustrating the switch-releasing position.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring. y

Figure 9 is an elevational view of the modiied form.

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 10-10 of Figure 9.

The invention which embodies a combined signal and barrier comprises a transversely disposed element consisting of a top plate 10 strengthened on the underside bythe longi'tu dina-lly extending angles 11, the angles being set in from the longitudinal edges of the plate. The plate is disposed over a trench 12 formed in the roadway of masonry or concrete, the upper corners of the trench being protected by angle iron guards 14, the liori` Zontal flanges of which are just below ythe surface of the roadway to permit the plate 10, when lowered to lie `liush with the roadway, the plate being wider than the trench and the angle guards 14 serving as seats for the side edges oi'v theplate beyond the angles 11.

Spaced columns 15 and 16 are provided for supporting the transverse element and are in the form or' channels of which that constituting the column 15 is closed by a cover plate 17 and that constituting the column 1G is closed by the coverplate 18. The columns 15 and 16 are provided on the upper' ends with ornamental caps 19 and are set in a foundation 2O -in the roadway, the signalling element descending into a trench 21 in said foundation when in inoperative position.

Extending longitudinally oi the signalling element beneathv the top plate thereof and journaled in r`*appropriate bearings thereon is a shaft 22 carrying at its extremities the pinions 23 meshing with racks 24 disposed within and secured to the columns, the inner faces of the columns being fprovided with yslots 25 coextensive with the racks to provide clearance spaces for the shaft 22.

l The two columns 15 and 16, in addition to the slots 25, are provided with the side slots 26 adjacent the lianges of the angles to provide clearance spaces for the angles 11, these angles Vextending into the column 15 and through the column 16,` projecting laterallyy beyond the latter, as indicated at 27, and sei-ving as a base for the motor 29, the latter` being enclosed by a housing 30. The motor is operatively connected tothe shai`t22 by means of a pinion 31 carried by the motor shaft and meshing with a'spur gear 32 carried on the shaft 22. Obviously, the rotation of the motor will elevate the transverse element as well as itself because vot the pinions 23 meshing with the racks 24.

The signalling element is counterweighted, eachr column being provided with a weight 33 with which cables 3st are connected, the cables being anchoi'edto the angles 11 and trained over sheaves B5 in the upper ends of the columns.l The counter-weights ohviously act as a balance 'for the signalling element audits operating motor, so that the Ilo work of the latter in elevating and lowering the signal is reduced to a minimum.

The control of the motor is effected by means of the spaced switches 36 and 3T mounted on the post 3S at the upper and lower ends oil the latter, the post being set in the foundation and extending up into the motor case. These switches are normally impelled toward closed positions by the springs 3S) and 40 and are shifted to open position by the arm 4l carried by the motor. A solenoid l2 has its core operatively connected with the switch 3T to retain it in open position in opposition to the spring 40.

Current Yfor the motor is derived from the storage battery 43 housed in a suitable compartment in the foundation and one termi` nal oi the storage battery is connected to one ol the rails il as well as to one of the arms of the switch 23T, as shown in the diagrammatic view by the lines 45 and 4G indicating the conductors. The rail Lli' is con nected to one of the arms oi the switch 3G by a conductor 48 with which the solenoid il is in parallel. The opposite terminal ot the battery 3 is connected to the remaining arms of the switches 3G and 37, as indicated by the conductors 49 and 50. The fixed contacts 51 and :32 of the switches 3G and 3T respectively are interconnected and also connected respectively with the field and armature of the motor 29, so that when one switch is closed, the direction of rotation of the motor is the reverse of that which takes place when the other switch is closed.

In the lowered position of the signal and barrier, the arm 4l carried by the motor is engaged with the arm 53 of the switch 37 and this switch 37 is therefore held in open position against the tension ot the spring 40. The solenoid l2 is designed to retain the switch 37 in this open posit-ion in the elevating movement of the barrier and the signal and to this end the solenoid is provided with the pivotally mounted hook members 5l disposed'on top of the solenoid at diametrically opposite sides of the latter. rlhe hook members swing toward and from each other and when in mutual engagement, the noses 55 will permit the elevation of the arm 53 by the spring 40, since the arm is formed with an opening 5G through which the noses of the hook member may pass. lith the arm depressed, as when it is engaged by the arm stl carried bythe motor, and the solenoid energized, the core 5T of the latter is elevated and the extension 58 carried thereby engages the two hook members and detlects them outwardly so that the noses 55 are in overhanging relation to the arms and the latter is held depressed despite the fact that the arm 4:1 is raised when the barrier and its actuating motor are elevated. The extension 5S is of generally tapering forni, so thatupon deenergization of the solenoid the core is permitted to drop due to the action ol the spring al tending to deflect the hook mem bers inwardly because of the engagement of the upper face of the arm 525 with the inclined under edges 5t) of the noses Stays (it) are provided on opposite sides ol the roadway umn-oaching the crossing, these stays being connected at one end to anchors tl and the other end to the upper extremities ot thc columnsl l5 and lll. 'lhe stays are provided with resilient inserts (3i). in the form oi springs, so that in event of the barrier being subjected to a shock as by impact ol an oncoming car the columns will not be displaced, the inserts providing suitable cushions.

The dependingl flange ot' onel of the angles ll is provided at uniformly'spaced points with colored transparencies ti?) while the barrier on the under tace and between the angles ll, is provided willi :1 lamp (il, the light from the latter shining through the transparencies (53 and the flange of the angle -arr \'ing the transparencies being inscribed at the center with the word Stolf as indicated at 65.

ln Figure lt) there is shown a modifica tion ot the invention for city use. In this construction the barrier consists of a crossseetionally T-shaped member of; which the leg flange 7l enters a trench T2 `fformed in the roadway, the cross flange in the inoperative position lying flush with the roadway and seating upon angles 73 constituting corner guards for the trench. The signal is elevated by means of solenoids Tl ol which the cores 75 are connected with the leg ilange 7l of the barrier. That face of the leg flange that is presented to the apln'oaching motorist when the barrier is elevated is inscribed with the word Stop as indicated at 7G.

In the operation of the invention, the barrier is normally in the lower or unobstructing position, at which time the arm 4l carried by the motor is engaged with the arm 53 of the switch 87, retaining this switch in open position. The switch 3G, however, is closed by the spring 39. Upon the a preach of a train, on the latter entering tlrie block with which the device is connected, a circuit is established on the battery 43 by the electrical connect/Lion oi the rails il and 47 by the car wheels. Current then passes from the battery 43 to the motor 2S) with which, when the switch 3G is closed, the solenoid Ll2 is in parallel. The solenoid is thus energized and the arm 53 of the switch 5T engaged so that the switch will be held open. The motor, with the switch 3G closed, will be rotated in the proper direction to elevate the combined signal and barrier and, when the prescribed height ot the latter hasl been reached, the arm Ill will engage the switch 36 and open the latter, so that the motor is all loll

lll() barrier, operative connections between the thus deprived of current and the signal and barrier stands in the position in which lit is left. The magnet 42, however, still remains energized and retains the switch 37 in open osition until the train shall have left the lock and the circuit broken between the rails 44 and 47, when the solenoid 42 is deprived of current. The switch 37 is then released and moved to closed position by the spring 40, the motor is supplied with current but its direction of rotation is changed so that the lowering movement is communicated to the barrier and signal and, when the latter has reached its position flush with the roadway, the switch 37 is opened by the engagement of the arm 41 with lthe arm 53.

The invention having been described, what is claimed as new and useful is:

l. Apparatus for the purpose indicated comprising spaced columns, a barrier spanning said columns and movable vertically thereof, an actuating motor carried by the motor and the columns for moving the barrier upon rotation of thermotor, and a remote control for the motor.

2. An appliance for the purpose indicated comprising spaced vertically disposed col! umns, a horizontal barrier spanning said columns and movable longitudinally thereof, racks carried by the columns, a motor carried by the barrier, geared connections be tween the motor and the racks, and a remote control for the motor. y

3; An appliance for the purpose indicated comprising spaced vertically disposed co1- umns, a horizontal barrier` spanning said columns and movable longitudinally thereof, racks carried by the columns, a motor car` ried by the barrier, geared connections between the motor and the racks, counterweights housed in the columns, cables connecting the counterweights to the barrier and trained over guide pulleys carried at the upper extremities of the columns, and a remote control for the motor.

In testimony whereof he ailiXes his signature.

GIROLAMO RAGUSA. 

